Mugen Empire
|alias= Empire of Dreams |capital= Ki Castle |located in= Nakurowa |controlled by= Knight Mare |population=11}} The Mugen Empire ( Dream Empire) is the presiding government authority of Nakurowa ( Dreamland). It was once a great and expansive empire dedicated towards the pursuit of knowledge, but now serves only a single purpose, hosting the infamous dark guild Knight Mare. Description Mugen is an empire of desolation and ghosts. The aftermath of Knight Mare’s invasion is prevalent in every province of the country. No Kingdoms, no cities, no buildings remain, as all signs of civilization have been turned to ruin. The only structure left sound in the entirety of the empire, is that of Ki Castle ( Demon Castle), which looms imposingly in the skyline regardless of distance. There is also no trace of life within the empire. Not a single animal frolics, and there are no settlements or inhabitants. The only true citizen of Mugen is that of the Emperor, an exceed appointed by Knight Mare’s Guild Master for being the accidental sole survivor of their invasion. By all rights, the Mugen Empire has been wiped from existence. Every town, every pathway and road, every sign of humanity now sits under a pile of rubble. These inescapable ruins cover the entirety of the country, rendering travel across the land incredibly difficult. No efforts to clean the aftermath of Knight Mare’s attack have been made, and so the rubble and skeletal corpses of the victims remain exposed, serving as a warning sign, a grim reminder of the guild’s destructive power. A message only accentuated by nature rearing its ugly head, and covering the dead empire in forests and bogs. Further, the eternal night, brought on by the stormcloud which looms over the empire, subjects those already despairing over the destruction of a nation, to a thick and relentless miasmic mist. This mist coats the entire continent, limiting vision and giving the empire an ominous dream-like appearance. This dreamy haze has been known to cause insanity among those who traverse though the empire. As they grow lost within it travelers begin to feel as though they are actually dead, and what they perceive to be Mugen is in truth a waking nightmare. Military Power In the eyes of the world, the Mugen Empire is as flourishing and prosperous as it has ever been. The genocide perpetrated by Knight Mare remains an untold secret. Since Mugen was always a country of isolationism, neither the Kingdoms of Ishgar or the Alvarez Empire question Mugen’s lack of presence on the world scene. Not a single country or court has an ambassador to Mugen, as none exist. The only figure from the Empire known to make an appearance is that of the Emperor himself. Even then, the Emperor only attends meetings of world leaders, not bothering to show for anything of less importance. Though the Magic Council is aware that the Empire of Mugen has been taken over by a dark guild, the lack of substantial evidence dismisses this knowledge as rumor at best. The elusive location of the Nakurowa Continent prevents investigation, and even mages who are able to infiltrate the country never return to report their findings. What’s more, it’s rumored that the Empire of Mugen has publicly conceited the nation to Knight Mare. This means that any action taken against the Dark Guild by the Magic Council or any legal guild, is forbidden. As any recourse against a member of Knight Mare would, as far as the other nations know, be tantamount to declaring war against the combined power of the knowledgeable Mugen Empire and the infamous abilities of Knight Mare. This effectively associates becoming a member of Knight Mare with becoming a mage above law. Something that appeals to potential dark mage recruits along with the reputation and status already attributed towards being a member. History Before being subjugated by Knight Mare, the empire of Mugen was a thriving civilization of peace and prosperity. Their isolationist policies kept them safe from the politics of the outside world, and their fertile land and temperate climate was host to a near overabundance of resources, including natural magical energies, gold, and precious jewels. This allowed the inhabitants of the empire to live a peaceful and quiet life, devoid of struggle. With no wars, politics, or discomfort, the people of the Mugen dedicated their time and efforts towards knowledge and understanding. The empire was known not for its mages and guilds, but rather its expansive collection of knowledge, history, tools and artifacts believed to have been long lost. It is said the halls and libraries once housed information regarding many lost forms of magic in an effort to trace magic back to its true origin. Society and Culture Mugen’s vast amount of resources and knowledge quickly made the empire one of the richest civilizations in the world, allowing even the lowest classes to live lavishly. An emphasis was placed on knowledge and scholarly pursuits, and it was expected of every citizen to grow up knowing the capabilities of magic and nobility. A person’s value in Mugen was not based off material goods or power, but the knowledge they held and their ability to navigate through the social intricacies of nobility, known as the Dance of Court. The most knowledgeable, and the most lavish of the nobles, was the former Emperor himself. A lazy man, his luxurious life style was extreme even by the empire’s pampered standards. He existed only to to be catered to and spoiled. Believing knowledge was currency, he had the entirety of the empire’s knowledge recorded on magical stones, and hidden away within his castle. A compendium of ancient knowledge, and the pinnacle of the Mugen Empire's life's work, these poneglyphs hold the entirety of history, tracing all the back to the origin of magic.